PETER CUMBERLAND AND HIS SHOCKING CHILD SEX OFFENCE IN BLACKBURN, LANCASHIRE
A man identified as Peter Cumberland, residing on Bonsall Street in Blackburn, became the focus of a serious criminal investigation after he engaged in a disturbing online scheme involving a supposed minor.Cumberland created a fake Facebook profile in July 2021 and began communicating with what he believed was a 14-year-old boy.
In reality, the account was operated by an adult decoy from a group called ‘Travelling from Nottingham’ or ‘TFN,’ a specialized group that engages with suspected paedophiles by mimicking teen language and referencing family aspects to lure offenders.
During their online chat, Cumberland expressed an explicit desire to meet the decoy at Blackburn train station, intending to carry out sexual acts and to 'make him a man.' Prosecutors at Preston Crown Court detailed that Cumberland established contact with the decoy, who had been baited by the group, and initially asked about the boy’s personal belongings including school shoes, trainers, and for explicit images.
The decoy, claiming to be 14 and still in school, responded that his mother wouldn’t allow him to go out, and expressed suspicion about Cumberland’s identity, asking, “do I know you?” Cumberland’s evasive reply was simply, “no why?” prompting the decoy to say, “no reason, you could be anyone, and I’m not sending pictures to someone I haven’t seen.” Despite these warnings, Cumberland persisted with his predatory intentions.
He asked if he could purchase the decoy’s trainers and proposed meeting at Blackburn train station, even supplying his home address on Bonsall Street to reassure the decoy.
The decoy refused, citing his mother’s restrictions, and questioned the risk, asking Cumberland how he could be sure he wasn’t a killer.
Cumberland then made disturbing remarks, claiming he was not a killer but was gay, and proceeded to say he would ‘prove’ his sexuality by kissing the decoy’s feet and making him gay himself.
He further asked if the decoy was a virgin and made explicit suggestions about engaging in sexual activities.
The conversation continued into the following day, where Cumberland explicitly expressed his desire to have sex with the decoy.
He offered to send a photo of himself engaging in private acts, sending an image of him on the toilet to the decoy.
On July 25, Cumberland and an accomplice approached the decoy and a colleague at Blackburn station.
They confronted the defendant, questioned him about his online activity, and then led him to an alley away from public view.
The decoy and his colleague then contacted the police and handed over documents detailing their online interactions.
Following his arrest, Cumberland’s mobile phone was seized and examined, allowing law enforcement officers to recover the conversations he had with the decoy.
Cumberland, aged 31 with no prior criminal record, entered a guilty plea to multiple charges including attempting to induce a child to view a sexual image, attempting to engage a child in sexual activity, arranging to commit a child sex offence, and attempting to communicate sexually with a minor.
His defense attorney, Clare Thomas, described Cumberland as a vulnerable individual who lived a socially isolated life and suffered from learning disabilities, with speech and language difficulties, arguing that a prison sentence would be particularly traumatic for him.
During sentencing, Recorder Daniel Prowse acknowledged that Cumberland’s intentions were to carry out sexual acts if the opportunity had arisen, stating, “I am satisfied you would have engaged in sexual activity with him if it had actually been a 14-year-old boy, but I can’t suspend this sentence as it’s so serious that it can only be dealt with by way of a custodial sentence.” Consequently, Cumberland was sentenced to 28 months in prison.
Additionally, he was ordered to register as a sex offender for the next ten years and was issued a 10-year sexual harm prevention order.
DC Sarah Fyans, from East CID, expressed her concerns about Cumberland’s actions, saying, “Peter Cumberland’s behaviour in 2021 was clearly very concerning and something we take extremely seriously.
He had a troubling sexual interest in children and attended Blackburn Train Station fully expecting to meet a 14-year-old boy.” She emphasized the importance of the court’s decision, adding, “I welcome the custodial sentence handed down by the courts to a man with no previous history of offending.
I hope he uses his time in prison to reflect on his actions and get the help he clearly needs.”
